Sunday, August 1, 2021

Rounding our last descending hill into Luarca was unexpected, jaw dropping and sigh inducing!!!! The majestic beach lay before us with maritime activity and the lush green hillside was topped with a church surrounded by an ancient wall and dotted with homes of age and character! As we progressed into town, the laughter and loud voices of congregating drew us in and our excitement level grew as we recognized that we were in a vibrant town of tourism!!

This morning we collectively decided to sleep longer in our incredibly (rare) comfortable beds and to enjoy the breakfast provided with our reservation. Between people gathering their laundry, getting their backpacks reorganized (since we had to keep them in a room separate from our beds), and actually eating the toast with jam and itsy-bitsy cut up fruit, we finally set out at 10:00!! I must admit, I had a great night’s sleep! With the exception of being awakened by cannon caliber explosions at 1:30 am and the sky being lit up with white flashes which I assumed to have been some celebratory situation in the next town over (after I got the cartel like stories out of my head)! Also, my alarm startled me out of a sound sleep at 7:00 am resulting in me knocking the phone over and flipping it many directions before I finally found the button to turn it off!

The day started off with a pretty major hill, and it was supremely humid so it was quite the work out to get started! Then the rest of the day’s seven mile trek was through the quaint towns of Canero, Barcia, La Almuña Las Escuelas and La Madalena, concluding in wooded and lush forests upon the kind of trails I absolutely love! Until of course we came to the harbor! And then it was down, down, down into beautiful, beachside Luarca!

We were unsuccessful in making a pre-reservation at the albergue we had hoped to stay at. We found it, waited in line, and ultimately learned it was full……. Then ensued some searching around the urban center and eventually we lucked out booking two, 3 person rooms on a very central street. They aren’t super savvy, but each has their own bathroom and shower, it was only €20 each, and location, location, location!

Everyone freshened up, some pastries were had, a meal was also (finally!) consumed and then we headed to the beach! What a wonderful treat to walk all day and then to have the sand between our toes as our reward and to feel the cold ocean’s waves upon our sore peds!

Our evening was mellow with a beautiful sunset and sedra sangria at the waterfront. Ahhhh…